George Archer Tye

Dr. George Archer Tye, was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England on the 12th of July, 1835. His parents were William Archer Tye and the former Sarah Hawkins. He was the 2nd of 5 children and interestingly enough, all 5 children had the same middle name of Archer. His siblings were; Charles, Mary, Samuel and Sarah. In 1845, his family immigrated to Canada and they settled in Kent County. According to the 1851 census, Dr. Tye and his family were farming in Howard Twp (Kent County). Dr. Tye did very well at school and he taught school at the Decow School in Howard Twp, for 5 years. He boarded with the Decow family and subsequently met his future wife.

Dr. Tye married Hannah Decow in Thamesville on December 1st, 1858. Mrs. Tye was born on the 13th of June, 1839 in Southwold Twp (Elgin County), the daughter of William Squire Decow and the former Sarah McIntyre. She was the 7th of 11 children. Her siblings were; Jacob, Catherine, Ezekiel, Nancy, William, John, Jane, James, Abraham and Sarah.

Dr. Tye attended medical school at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York for one term and another term in Long Island College Hospital. After graduating M.D. in 1866 he attended Victoria College in Toronto. He graduated M.D. from Victoria College in 1867. After graduation he opened his medical practice in Thamesville. According to the 1882 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. Tye joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 13th of September 1867.

Dr. and Mrs. Tye had 8 children; Maud Mary (1860), Emily Elmina (1862), Kathleen Lillian (1865), George Walter (born in 1868 and died in 1872), William Henry (born on the 12th of July, 1870), Sarah (born the 27th of Feb 1873 and died in 1874), Alfred Tennyson (born 9 months after Sarah in November of 1873) and Anna (who was born the 13th of May, 1877 and died in August of 1877).

Dr. Tye joined the Tecumseh Lodge of Thamesville A.F. & A.M. in 1860. In 1874, Thamesville achieved “village status” and Dr. Tye was one of the first councillors. He sat on the Village of Thamesville Council for 3 years and he was the Chairman of the Board of School Trustee’s for 4 years.

His wife Hannah died on the 6th of June, 1877 in Thamesville, just before her 38th birthday. She was buried at a small cemetery, located at 19 Memory Lane near Thamesville.

Dr. Tye married Louisa McIntyre on the 3rd of July, 1878, in Chatham. She was born in 1846, the daughter of Robert and Sarah McIntyre. She had an older sister named Annie, an older brother named Thomas and 2 younger brothers; Alexander and James. Dr. and Mrs. Tye had a daughter Sarah Laura Tye, who was born on the 5th of May 1879.

He moved his medical practice and his residence to Chatham in 1881. His home and his office was located on the corner of Wellington and Fifth streets. Dr. James Henry Duncan took over his practice in Thamesville. In 1881 Dr. Tye was appointed as an Examiner in Physiology by the Ontario Medical Council; a position he held until 1886. In 1882, Dr. Tye was listed as Assistant Surgeon to Dr. T.K. Holmes with the 24th Battalion of Infantry. Dr. Tye was elected the 1st Vice-President of the Ontario Medical Association in 1884 and he served as President from 1885-1886. He advertised in the 1885 Ontario Business Directory.

Around 1888 Dr. Duncan joined Dr. Tye’s practice in Chatham. Dr. Tye maintained his medical practice until his death on the 23rd of July, 1891, in Chatham. He was buried at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham. Mrs. Louisa Tye died in Chicago on the 22nd of July of 1904. She had moved there in 1901, to live with her daughter. According to the death record, Mrs. Louisa Tye was buried at Chatham.